Clara Pino Clara Pino
Director, Digital Content and Marketing

Published

April 23, 2025

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When we ask our National Civics Bee® partners what advice they have for those considering participating in the competition, the answer is a resounding “dive in.” Perhaps this rallying effect has helped us scale quickly to bring the National Civics Bee home to communities nationwide.

Each year, we invite local and state chambers or other organizations to apply to participate in the National Civics Bee. Selected partners are eligible for grant funding and are equipped with resources from our team at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation with everything you need to host competitions.

Our network of partners is here to help too. Whether chambers are new to the National Civics Bee or experiencing an unanticipated challenge, there are always some words of wisdom from hundreds of chambers across the country.

It Takes a Village

Our most successful partners find many local supporters of their own to help spread the word, enhance the live competition, volunteer as judges, and more.

“You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one,” according to Whitney Harmel, executive vice president of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Maryland Chamber Foundation. “What matters is a commitment to fostering civic engagement, elevating youth voices, and strengthening your role as a community convener.”

In Iowa, the Mason City community has been highly involved in the National Civics Bee since its inception, just like Maryland. They absolutely love it.

“City leaders look forward to hearing from the middle school students as they are writing their essays, learning what they are interested in and their ideas for solving community challenges. The schools have embraced the event, incorporating the essay prompt into their curriculum and proudly hosting the event each year. The business community gets engaged through judging essays and attending the live competition. Everyone comes away impressed with the knowledge and talent of these young students,” said Colleen Frein, president and chief executive officer of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce.

Similarly, the Michigan Chamber Foundation quickly reached out to their entire network when they first brought the National Civics Bee to their state in 2024. To get everyone excited, they used newsletters, podcasts, tiny mic interviews, and more.

“We tapped into our advocacy network and connected with school-based associations (school boards, administrators, superintendents, principals, charter schools) to share news and information through their membership channels,” explained Becky Burtka, vice president of member engagement of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

“We also added all state legislators to our mailing lists and ensured they had information to share with their constituents when they send out newsletters and updates in their official capacities. As a team, we worked to identify curriculum directors near our local competitions, as we've found curriculum directors are the best advocates for incorporating the National Civics Bee materials into the classroom.”

In 2025, the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce collaborated closely with the Richard Nixon Foundation to host the inaugural competition in California after witnessing the powerful impact of the National Civics Bee in other regions.

Alex Berrios-Hernandez, deputy executive director of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce Foundation, knew that this partnership was critical to their success: “It was about empowering local students to engage with their communities and participate in civic life. We were honored to help host the first-ever National Civics Bee in California.”

Chris Lowe, director of education of the Richard Nixon Foundation couldn’t agree more: “From the very beginning, this has been a true collaboration, with many dedicated individuals coming together to make this inaugural event a success.”

Think Outside the Box

While partnerships are key, there are many different strategies for launching the National Civics Bee in every community. The Chelsea Chamber of Commerce offered an incentive to increase student engagement.

“We were able to secure a sponsorship that enabled us to purchase and gift the tablets used during the live competition to the 20 finalists in addition to enabling us to increase the prize money awarded to the top 3 finalists,” explained Jennifer Hassell, executive director of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce.

She gave another important tip too as it is normal for finalists to be nervous: “Be sure to provide your finalists participating in the live competition with stress balls or fidget spinners.”

a group of people on a stage
Hassell presenting the first-place prize to the winner of the National Civics Bee competition in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Photo credit: Chelsea Chamber of Commerce

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry brought the National Civics Bee to their state in 2024 and encouraged the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce to join.

Ryan Egly, president and chief executive officer of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, reflected on deciding to participate and said it was a no-brainer: “The National Civics Bee competition has given our students a reason to better their civics education and think critically about their involvement in overcoming obstacles our community faces.”

To create buy-in and build excitement, they recognized teachers were seeking opportunities to engage students and saw this as a chance to support educators. In 2025, they received even more essay submissions as they continued to grow and focus on schools.

In Mason City, Frein said, “Our public school district’s involvement with the National Civics Bee has shifted the way civics is taught in our K-12 system ... Fortunately, they participated and found the students were engaged and excited about learning civics principles. As a result, they began incorporating lessons in accelerated classes and continued adding to the curriculum annually. This year, all 7th and 8th grade students are learning about civics as part of their social studies and literature classes, and the essay prompt is part of their required writing.”

Whether it’s a unique sponsorship or close coordination with teachers, the opportunities are endless. “Think beyond the competition itself. Many chambers have used the National Civics Bee as a catalyst to deepen relationships with local stakeholders, launch new sponsorship opportunities, and enhance their role in civic leadership development. The ripple effects often extend far beyond the event day,” said Harmel, who believes the National Civics Bee is an unmatched opportunity for any organization.

Unforgettable Moments

When we ask partners why this work matters and what experiences are the most memorable, most answers are focused on students and their stories.

Egly recalled one parent who shared that their child was having a tough time at school, and a win from the National Civics Bee was a much needed boost.

“Michigan's team attended each local competition, and we were able to witness the growth of all the finalists as they prepared and put themselves outside of their comfort zone,” explained Burtka.

“The biggest transformation was in our state winner, Evan Z. He has shown tremendous personal growth throughout this experience and continues to engage with his hometown chamber and our state chamber. He has proposed engagement ideas for future students, programming to encourage civic participation in schools and a genuine desire to mentor Michigan's 2025 winner before they travel to D.C. for the national competition. This is the type of leadership that developed through experience, and we are so proud to know that we brought that to Michigan's students.”

a boy standing at a podium with a screen behind him
Evan presenting on his essay topic during the National Civics Bee Michigan State Finals. Photo credit: Michigan Chamber Foundation

Frein can’t stop thinking about the girl who was anxious and struggled with her oral presentation but remained dedicated and gained confidence at each level: “That’s what I love about the National Civics Bee—we are shaping our future leaders and giving them the tools to change the world!” She put her essay into action too by starting a Make-a-Thon event to promote a new innovation center.

Similarly, Lowe remembered, “One unforgettable moment was watching a student with a stutter—just fourteen years old—stand confidently before a packed room and passionately present their idea to improve their community. The clarity of their thought, the conviction in their voice, and their genuine desire to make a difference was incredibly moving.”

“It wasn’t just a competition—it was a powerful reminder that the future is bright. Young people like this are stepping up, engaging in civics, and using their voices to lead. That moment captured the very heart of what the National Civics Bee is all about.”

The bottom line is there are hundreds of National Civics Bee partners who can answer your questions, share their experiences, and give more advice on bringing the National Civics Bee home to your community. If you’d like to learn more, contact us, and our civics team can connect you with the right partners.

Final Q&A: How does the National Civics Bee make you hopeful for the future?

“The participants in our competition were a powerful reminder that our future is bright. Not because the path has been flawless, but because of young leaders like those in the National Civics Bee who show the courage and capacity to create meaningful change. We are filled with humble gratitude and pride knowing that our 100-year heritage as a chamber and as involved citizens is being carried forth and delivered safely to future generations.” —Alex Berrios-Hernandez, deputy executive director of the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce Foundation (California)

“The National Civics Bee makes me hopeful for the future as I've witnessed the growth and impact it has had on our students. The sense of pride and accomplishment is an empowering feeling for students who are in the thick of middle school and learning to navigate the world. This sense of ability to make change and the tools to drive their visions to success will certainly inspire the next generation of CEO's, legislators and parents to lead and influence generations to come.” —Becky Burtka, vice president of member engagement of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce (Michigan)

“I believe the next generation will have a better idea of the resources and relationships required to affect positive change.” —Ryan Egly, president and chief executive officer of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce (Tennessee)

“Engaging our youth, allowing them to have a voice and platform to share and bring their concerns to the attention of the community to discuss and potentially address with local resources and support from city government.” —Jennifer Hassell, executive director of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce (Massachusetts)

“There’s nothing more inspiring than witnessing a fourteen-year-old stand before their community and a panel of judges to champion a program that benefits others. The future of our country is in good hands, thanks to civically minded students like the ones we saw at our Civics Bee.” —Chris Lowe, director of education of the Richard Nixon Foundation (California)

About the authors

Clara Pino

Clara Pino

Clara is director of digital content and marketing at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

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